What is Friction?

What is Friction?

10th Grade · Science · 45 min

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Learning Objective

I can explain how friction affects the motion of objects.

  • 1

    Kinetic friction slows objects as they slide, while static friction must be overcome to start an object's movement.

  • 2

    The force of kinetic friction depends on the coefficient of kinetic friction between two surfaces and the normal force pressing them together.

  • 3

    To solve friction problems on a ramp, create a free-body diagram, separate forces into x and y components, and use Newton's second law to calculate acceleration.